Joseph eeisdoeff



(No Model.)

vJ'. REISDORFF.

' PIRE ESCAPE.

N0.v301,923. YPatented July 15, 1884.A

n. umane, Mmm vla-ningun. n c

UNITED STATES PATENT ()TPFICE JOSEPH REISDORFF, on OOTTLEVILLE, MISSOURI.-

l FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 301,923, dated J'uly 15, 1884.

Application lcd April 9, 1884. (No model.) Y

.T all whom it may concern,.-

' v Be it known that I, JOSEPH REISDORF'F, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Cottleville, in the county of St. Charles and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Fire-Escape, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to fire-escapes, and to that class of the same in which the descent is operated by friction; and it has for its object to provide a simple, durable, convenient, and

' efficient device to facilitate the escape of perl sons from a burning building to a place of tional view of the fire-escape. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the same.

Like letters refer to corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the handle-piece of my improved hre-escape, cylindrical in form, a shank, B, being secured to the upper end of the handle-piece, and terminating in a U-shaped bracket, C, between the arms of which .is journaled a grooved roller,

D, arranged to freely revolve on its axis over the rope E. Saidroller is provided with a series of outwardly-projecting spurs or barbs, a,

adapted to engage with the rope, and thus slightly retard the descent.. The end .of the bracket C fiares outwardly, and to this end is secured a spring, F, which extends inward in an upward direction and fits beneath the rope, said spring serving to prevent the apparatus from slipping off said rope. l

G designates a brakelever,pivoted near its center to a post, H, projecting outward from ythe bracket C, one end of the lever being bifurcated to form diverging arms I I, the ends i of said arms being turned outward,as shown, so as to bear directly against the sides of the roller D, and thus prevent the revolution thereof. The other end of the brake-lever G is formed with an eye, J, with which a hook, i

K, of an operating-lever, L, engages, said ledepends downwardly therefrom, said strap being attached in the form of a loop, and serving as a convenient and firm hold for the hands near the handle of the clamp.

To the lower end. of the handle-piece A is secured a staple, P, or other suitable device, to which may be attached a sling or seat, Q, constructed substantially as shown in the drawings, and comprising a strap, R, to pass around the hips, and a strap, S, to pass around the body beneath the arms, thereby serving as a convenient seat to support the person, in order thatA he may be 'in the best possible position to control the movements of the apparatus.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the annexed drawings: 'Ihe rope E is fastened at one end to the window-sill or to any article of furniture withn the burning building, and at its other end may be either fastened to a building directly opposite, or may be taken'up by some strong men and held straight. The men may stand on the roof of another house, or as far as possible from the burning building, so as to convey the persons from the building to a place of safety. The apparatus is put on the rope, the roller D resting and turning on the latter, and the spring serving to prevent the roller from slipping o. The person to descend securelyrests himself within the seat, and the descent then begins. Should he descend too rapidly,he can apply his hand tothe lever M, and cause the brake-lever to apply the armsl directly against the roller D, so as to stop the revolution of the same, and thus the descent will be lessened or entirely stopped, as desired. It will be seen that my improvedre-escape will facilitate the descent of persons from a burning building, and there will be no danger of the person descending toorrapidly. The i brake may be readily applied to lessen the speed of descent or stop it altogether, and thusthe person in the seat or sling will have full control over the apparatus.

IOO

My iniproved fire-escape is simple, durable, convenient, and inexpensive, and will prove of great utility and efficiency for the purposes intended.

In order to define lnore clearly the nature, advantages, and scope of my invention, I would have it understood that I do not claim, broadly, the combination of a roller journaled in a bracket, a seat connecting with the bracket, and a brake arranged to be applied to the sides of the roller, as such combination is not new.

Having described my invention, I claiml. The herein-described improved fire-escape, comprising the hand-piece, a bracket attached to the upper end of the same, a seat sccured to the lower end, a roller journaled in the bracket, and a brake arranged to be applied to the sides of the roller, for the purpose set forth.

2. The herein-described fire-escape, coniprising the handle-piece, a U-shaped bracket secured to the upper end of the same, and a seat or sling attached to the lower end, a roller `journaled in the bracket, a spring attached to the bracket and arranged to prevent the same from slipping off the rope, a brakelever pivoted to the bracket, and an operating-lever for the brake, for the purpose set forth.

3. The herein-described fire-escape, comprising the bracket attached to a suitable hand-piece, a roller iournaled in the bracket, a spring attached to the bracket to prevent the displacement of the apparatus, and a brakelever pivoted in the bracket, and arranged to be operated to bear directly against the sides of the roller, for the purpose set forth.

4. The herein-described fire-escape, coinprising the bracket attached to a suitable hand-piece, a roller jonrnaled therein and provided with a series of spurs or barbs, aspring attached to the bracket and pro] eeting inwardly, so as to fit around the rope, and a brakelever provided with an operating-handle for causing said lever to bear directly against the sides of the roller, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a fire-escape, the cornbinationvith the bracket attached to a suitable hand-piece and having a rollerjournalcd therein,oftl1c brakelever pivoted to the bracket, and having its upper end bifurcated to form arms which cxtend outwardly, and an operating lever or handle for the brake, as set forth.

6. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a bracket attached to asuitable hand-piece and having a roller j ournalcd therein, of a spring attached to the bracket and projecting inwardly, so as to fit around the rope,and thus to prevent the apparatus l'roln slipping oil' the rope, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 

